


constellation observation

by gold_rush



Series: the sun, the moon, and the truth [4]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2016-10-19
Packaged: 2018-08-23 11:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8325283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gold_rush/pseuds/gold_rush
Summary: A diplomatic mission goes wrong. Jim and Spock have been forced into a hostage situation. Bones, Sulu, and the rest of the crew watch events unfold from the bridge. Sulu only has one play left.





	

The silence that hangs over the bridge is, altogether, oppressive and violent. The newfound quietness both unfamiliar and unnerving. All of the usual joviality and contentment sucked out of the crew and hurled into the pitch-black vastness of deep space.

Sulu is sat in the captain’s chair - his dark eyes steely, his shoulders solid, a hint of disgust lingering violently at the corners of his mouth. He is watching the screen, like they all are, and he’s making note of every single thing they’re doing to the captain. He’ll need it later, he’ll need it to explain.

On the other ship, Jim is on his knees, a weapon jammed firmly against the back of his head, his blue eyes staring up at them defiantly. A steady constant in a whirlpool of chaos. Sulu can read what that look means, they all can. _Yes_ , Jim’s staring death in the face. But what does that matter? He’s already been dead. So, if he has to die again, for real this time, for the safety of his crew, for his family, then those eyes say, _so be it_. They say, _there’s no where else I’d rather be_.

Less than two feet away from their captain, Spock is also positioned on his knees, a line of dead crewmen trailing behind him. All of them murdered. All of them gone. Jim and Spock are the only ones left now. And they all know what comes next. They're all expecting the imminent execution of Commander Spock with baited breath and heavy, pounding hearts.

They’ve all had the same training. They all know that they cannot reveal how they actually feel; that there can be no grand gestures, no overblown emotional displays. Instead, they have to stand, sit, or kneel and give off an aura of absolute, stoic resistance. They have to make the captors believe that they can kill Jim, that they can kill Spock, and it all means _nothing_. They have to make them believe that no matter what war crimes they continue to commit, they will not get what they want. They will not get the ship. This was supposed to be a straightforward diplomatic mission, but Sulu is quickly running out of diplomacy, running out of stoicism.

Realistically, they only have one play left. There’s only one move that allows them to regain total control of this situation. Sulu glances over at Bones without turning his head; the doctor is stood rigidly behind Chekov’s chair. Bones had appeared as soon as the red alert had been issued. He’s barely moved since then, and that was some hours ago now. The acting captain takes in the stiffness of Bones’ body, the tightness of his jaw, and the slow, heavy heave of his chest before he flicks his eyes back up to the screen. Hoping to every holy power, known and unknown, that Bones will forgive him for what he’s about to do. For what he has to do. For what has to be done. Sulu forces himself to imagine that it’s Ben, that it’s Demora, stuck on that ship, lingers on the sickly image of a loaded gun pressed against his daughter's head. He forces himself to feel what Bones must be feeling - the panic, the adrenaline, the unknown. And then he pushes it all so far inside of himself that it’s hidden away. That it’s safe. So he can do what he has to do.

‘You will return our captain, our first officer, and our crewmen,’ Sulu says icily. ‘You will do this immediately or we will obliterate you.’

Bones’ feet shift but he doesn’t say a thing, he doesn’t react, he doesn’t do anything other than glare and snarl up at the screen and Sulu has never felt so proud of anybody in his entire life. Everyone on board knows that Bones and Jim and Spock are together, it’s the worst kept secret in space. Everyone knows and no one cares.

‘You would kill your own Captain?’ The leader of the captors says, a hint of bewilderment in his voice.

‘I will destroy you at any cost,’ Sulu says and, for a split-second, he sees a smirk dance across Jim’s mouth. Spock is still his usual unreadable self, but a flicker of approval seems to pass across his face too. At least, Sulu thinks, he has their permission to do this. To take it all the way if necessary. It makes it feel less like mutiny. Less like betrayal. Less like murder.

‘Your people do not believe in loyalty to their captain?’ Their leader asks and Spock can’t stop himself from biting out, ‘The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.’

That earns him a swift smack across his face, so hard that the half-vulcan is forced to gasp when he breathes in. A bloom of green instantly emerging on his cheek. Jim closes his eyes for a second; Bones’ hands curl into tight fighting-fists behind his back. No one does anything.

‘You will shut your half-breed mouth,’ A guard says, brandishing a loaded weapon in Spock’s face. ‘That you should be a crew member, that you should have rank and position, is astonishing to us.’

‘What will it be?’ Sulu asks darkly, ignoring the queasiness that swells in his chest and the unpleasantness that burns in his stomach. If Spock is to die here today, Sulu will find a way to make sure he knows that he is incredible. That he is loved. He will not let that guard, or his filthy, racist opinions, taint Spock’s perception of himself. He will not let Spock’s importance be cast aside into a black, nothingness. He is family. Jim is family. What Sulu has just threatened to do stems from his unwavering love for them both. They are, all of them, in this together. To assume otherwise is their mistake.

‘So, you _will_ kill your captain?’ Their leader says - just as Spock is struck again - amazement stretched across his smug face. Spock recovers quickly, straightens his spine, streaks of green meandering down from his cheek. His eyes now a dark parallel of their captain’s. Sulu doesn't get the chance to reply.

‘I hope they do,’ Jim bites out, his patience running thin, his face a mask of disgusted defiance as he snarls, ‘I hope they do. I hope they blow us all to bits.’

‘You are willing to die?’ Their captor says then, pulling Jim’s head back roughly, so he can look him in the eyes as he laughs, ‘they don’t even respect you enough to save you.’

‘You have no idea,’ is all Jim says before he is pushed violently forwards.

Within seconds, he is back to kneeling, staring stoically up at the screen.

The lead captor moves then, grabs Spock harshly, and pushes him forcefully into Jim, so they are left kneeling next to each other; so close that their thighs are touching. That’s when Sulu notices Bones shift a little behind Pavel, who is still tapping away discreetly at his station. It’s getting close.

‘I await your answer,’ Sulu says evenly, his exterior calmness prevailing, ‘You have kept me waiting long enough.’

There is a pause then, as irreversible decisions are made.

Within the next few seconds, Sulu knows he will either have the landing party back on board or he will have blasted them all into space dust. He can feel his heart pounding as the sickly anticipation builds. He feels like he could vomit. Like he could retch for hours and hours and still not be rid of what he's feeling but he thinks of Jim, of Spock, of the murdered crewmen, of Bones and he does what he has to do. He waits. He projects calm. He projects control.

‘No,’ their captor says firmly, finally, wedging a gun against the base of Jim’s skull. ‘We will not be sending them back. And _you_ , you will not even miss them.’

‘So be it,’ Sulu says shortly, looking at nothing now but the screen. At Jim as he reaches a hand out in search of Spock’s. Though his face remains a mask of stillness, the half-vulcan grips Jim’s hand in his, his eyes flitting down to the floor briefly before he raises his head once more. Both their captain and their first officer staring defiantly at the screen before them. A small smile lingering in the corner of Jim’s mouth as he watches Bones. Jim is so proud of him, Sulu can see it. Despite everything, despite all of the horror, he can still see _that_. He chose a good man to fall in love with. And, Sulu thinks, as Jim squeezes Spock’s hand, he chose another to die with.

‘Mr. Sulu,’ Jim says calmly then, pulling Spock’s hand up to kiss his knuckles, a smile spreading across his face, ‘look after my ship.’

The acting captain can feel his eyes sting as he nods his head once and says, ‘It will be an honour. It _has_ been an honour. Godspeed, Captain. Goodbye, Jim.’

Spock is smiling too now, as he glances over at Jim, a guard forcing a gun roughly against his temple, before he looks back at the screen, finds Bones and says, ‘Live long and prosper, T'hy'la.'

Sulu doesn’t know what else to do, his hand practically lifting itself. Within seconds, the entire bridge crew is performing the familiar vulcan salute. Everyone except for Bones who seems unable to do anything but grip the back of Chekov’s chair.

Then, the guard with his gun pressed hard against Spock’s head cocks his weapon; so, Sulu does what he has to, he gives the order for them to destroy the ship. The young, inexperienced ensign is about to punch in the code, is about to blow them to bits. But he doesn't quite get the chance. His concentration completely destroyed when Chekov shouts out, ‘Da! Da! Thank you, Mr. Scott. _Thank you_!'

The startling outburst, the unnerving break in regulation silence, is enough to intrigue the captors - who find themselves staring at the grinning Russian navigator as he leaps out of his chair.

In the moment of confusion, they completely miss the engulfing glow wrap itself around their prisoners. And then, Jim, Spock, and the bodies of four crewmen are being beamed off the enemy’s bridge to the safety of the Enterprise's transportation room.

Erratic shots are fired by the captors, burning through their prisoner’s long departed atoms. Then, when Sulu is hailed by Scotty, is told that Spock and Jim are safe, he stands calmly, walks towards the navigation station and says, ‘Destroy them. Destroy _everything_.'

The leader of the captors starts barking out his orders but it is too late. Far too late. Chekov reaches across his console, nods at the young ensign who is happy to step away, and punches in the code. An eruption of red and yellow burning bright on the viewing screen before it fades away into nothingness. They are gone. It is over. It is done.

Bones is hunched over now, his hands trembling violently, heavy huffs of breath beating out of his lungs. Sulu moves to him, closes the gap, a hand on the centre of his back as he crouches down, balancing on the balls of his feet.

‘I’m so sorry, Bones,' Sulu says, his voice wavering now, pitchy and coarse, as tears start to run down his cheeks unobstructed. How do you say sorry for ordering the execution of someone's loved ones, and how do you say that to a friend?

Bones shakes his head, his eyes pressed closed; his mouth opens, he has something to say, but 'No, Hikaru...' Is all he manage before he has to stop. Breathing heavily before he pulls himself upright, reaches down and pulls Sulu up too, wrapping his arms around the helmsman.

'Thank you. _Thank you_ ,' the doctor whispers, holding onto the man, trying to regain his balance and get his blood pressure back in order. Sulu doesn't know what to say, nor what to do, so he lets Bones hold him, lets his warm tears dampen the shoulder of the doctor's shirt. Then, Bones is grabbing Sulu’s face and planting a warm, lingering kiss on his cheek.

As Chekov edges towards the two men, he clears his throat. Bones looks up and Chekov is smiling, a gentle smile, as he says, 'Perhaps, Mr. Sulu and I could escort you to the transportation room, doctor? I know two people who will be wery happy to see you, sir. Wery happy indeed.'

Bones smiles, nodding, as he loosens his grip on Sulu and throws an arm around Chekov, leaning into him to say, 'Thank you, Pasha. You beautiful, _beautiful_ man.'

‘Family,’ the young navigator whispers back, leaning into the doctor, ‘Family is wery, _wery_ precious.'

‘Yeah,’ Bones says, placing a soft kiss is Chekov’s hair, ‘Yeah, it is.’

With careful arms wrapped around his waist, Sulu and Chekov guide an unsteady Bones to the transporter room. Stepping back a little as they approach the open door. Overwhelmed but determined to give their friends a little privacy. Accordingly, they wait outside, just in case they are needed.

When he sees them, Bones wants to throw up he’s so happy. Jim and Spock are standing pressed together; Scotty is talking to them lowly, a steady hand on Spock's shoulder, a cloth pressed against the half-vulcan's cheek. Jim is the first to spot him, rushing over towards the doctor as swiftly as his legs will take him.

'Bones,' he says in a breath, breathing him in, ' _Bones_.'

‘Jimmy,’ Bones offers simply, and a shudder runs straight through the captain's body. His shoulders sagging as he throws his arms around the doctor's waist.

‘I was so scared,’ he whispers against Bones' chest, ‘I was so scared.’

‘I know,’ Bones says, ‘I know, sweetheart.’

‘I didn’t want to leave you, and I didn’t want Spock to get hurt,’ Jim tries to explain, and Bones just nods, he understands, holding Jim tight.

‘You’re both okay, that’s all that matters,’ Bones offers; but Jim’s gaze shifts to the far side of the room, where the four dead crewman lie.

‘That- that shouldn’t have happened,’ Jim says, his voice strained, ‘They should be here. They did nothing wrong. They deserve to be here too.’

‘I _know_ ,’ Bones says, understanding instantly, because what else is there to say? ‘I know, Jim.’

They stand like that for a while, in warm silence, before Spock taps Bones on the shoulder, his face battered but no longer bleeding, his brown eyes wet and red, Bones puts a steady arm around his back. And, almost immediately, Spock’s fingers are digging into his lover's flesh in reply.

‘ _Leonard_ ,’ Spock begins, his voice wet and pitchy.

‘It’s all right,’ Bones says, letting him know that he doesn’t have to say anything. The three of them tangled together says enough. It _is_ enough. Then, the room is perfectly still. Except for Scotty, on the other side of the room, who is laying white sheets over the lifeless bodies of Thomas, Ayala, Keel, and Ngozi.

Spock's fingers squeeze the doctor tighter as he repeats, ' _Leonard_.’

Bones loosens his grip on Jim for a moment, reaches up, wipes a tear off Spock's cheek, and says, 'We need to get you to med bay. You took a couple of nasty blows to the head.'

Spock thinks about disagreeing, thinks about protesting, because standing quietly with the men he loves seems far more important than his immediate health, but his face stings from the beating it took, and his neck hurts more than it probably should, and he's tired. He's really, really tired. And Bones wants it, for his own peace of mind, and Spock feels like he owes him that much. So, he nods and Bones says, ' _Thank you_ ,' in reply.

Jim tries to move then, tries to take some of Spock's weight but his knees buckle a little beneath him.

'Jim, you feeling okay?' Bones asks quickly, slipping into doctor mode.

I- yeah,' Jim says quietly, 'My heart's beating really fast, and I feel--'

'Jimmy?' Bones says, manoeuvring so that he has a hand on Jim again, Spock tightening his grip on the captain too, 'You feel like you're gonna faint?'

'I-' Jim begins, before taking a few deep breaths, 'No. I'm okay. I can make it. I'm okay.'

'Perhaps, I can lend a hand?' Scotty says then, resting his fingers on Bones' shoulder. Bones nods and lets the engineer get a firm arm around Jim. Together, they guide the battered men to the door, for a mercifully short journey. Made easier by the prescence of Sulu and Chekov who quickly aid Bones and Scotty without being asked. A worried Chekov nudging Sulu towards Jim as he closes in on Spock. His smile gone.

' _Captain_ ,' Sulu says with a nod, steadying the blonde as they make their way slowly down the corridor. The helmsman is too afraid to look Jim in the eye. Too ashamed to take in the man whose seat he had occupied throughout the ordeal.

Then, despite everything, despite his dizziness, his exhaustion, his thoughts - which are crashing around his brain far too quickly to make sense - Jim smiles over at Sulu and says, 'Everything you did, I would have done. Everything you are, I can only _hope_ to be. You did the right thing, Hikaru. You did _everything_ right. Everything. You hear me?'

Of course Jim knows how he feels, of course he can see it. Sulu feels his eyes flood with tears then, swiping a hand across his cheeks quickly before he nods and says, 'Thank you, Sir.'

' _Jim_ ,' Jim smiles, 'And thank _you_. I felt so... _relieved_ that it was you. That you had the ship. When he pressed that gun against the back of my head, I knew, I just _knew_ I was going to die, for real this time, and I thought, if I have to die then that's okay, if I'm gone at least they have _you_. At least _you_ have the ship. Because I knew that you'd get them all home. Safe. That Bones would make it home - even if I couldn't, even if Spock couldn't. And I thought, I thought... _he'll_ look after Bones, they'll all look after Bones, and I felt... I felt okay. I felt so _lucky_. To have known you all. To have _loved_ you all.'

On hearing that, Chekov's steps falter a little as he helps Bones with Spock. Then, Scotty squeezes Jim's side and says, with all the gentleness and honesty in the world, 'You're not the lucky one, laddie. We are.'

 


End file.
